Chris Smith: “I urge my colleagues to vote unanimously in favor of S. Con. Res. 37. This resolution makes clear that Little League…”

“I urge my colleagues to vote unanimously in favor of S. Con. Res. 37. This resolution makes clear that Little League Baseball Incorporated is a bona fide nongovernmental organization and that it should be treated as such by our government and those of other nations. Little League Baseball Incorporated is a nonprofit membership organization that was chartered by Congress in 1964 to promote participation by children around the world in Little League baseball. Unfortunately, the charter did not explicitly use the words ``nongovernmental organization.'' That phrase and its acronym, NGO, were not in vogue in those days. So there has been some confusion, particularly in nations where Little League baseball is relatively new, about the undeniable fact that this organization indeed is a not-for-profit organization. Because the U.S. Congress originally chartered this organization, it falls to us to clarify the matter. This resolution calls on the parliamentary bodies and government officials of other nations to recognize and celebrate the international charter of Little League Baseball, the largest nongovernmental international youth sports organization in the world, with over 18,000 local leagues in 85 countries supported by a network of many thousands of volunteers and coaches around the world.”